Brothers and Sisters
by The Last Girafficorn
Summary: Whether close or distant, friendly or hostile, family is family. A collection of late night conversations, confrontations and confessions between our heroes and their siblings. A collection of one-shots. Ch 4- Frank and Clarisse. (Cover belongs to viria)
1. Chapter 1- Piper and Drew

**Drew and Piper**

It was 3 in the morning on the roof of the Aphrodite cabin and piper was on the top of the world. So ecstatic she couldn't sleep, she had climbed to the rooftop and to look at the stars and to mill over the days event's in her head.

Girl friend.

_Girl. Friend._

GIRL FRIEND. GIRL FRIEND. GIRL FRIEND.

Jason had called piper his girlfriend! (to quote some of her little sisters) Jasper was cannon! The ship was sailing and nothing could bring piper down...

"Why, If it isn't Miss Lois lane! Back from another romp with superman then?"

Well. Almost nothing.

Ever since he had come back from her quest Drew had dropped "Dumpster Queen" and had taken to calling piper Lois Lane. Lois shouldn't have been as bad, but the pure bitterness it was said with made it feel much worse.

Enough was enough.

"OK, that's it." Piper pulled herself up and turned towards her sister."I don't know what it is that males you hate me quite _this _much; because I got the quest, Because I got Jason or maybe it was me taking your position, but I am going off on some mystery death quest to find the roman camp in less than a fortnight and I want to enjoy what little time I have left before we sail off to our imminent doom or worse still Jason's now ex-girlfriend so could you please- sweet jesus, _please-_ BACK. THE. EFF. OFF."

By the time she had finished her little rant Piper was panting for breath and stood less than a foot away from drew. She didn't really know what she had expected to come from this little outburst: Drew breaking down and confessing her truest feelings? Admitting her faults and leaving Piper alone? Flouncing off? Whatever it was, this wasn't it.

Drew started to laugh.

And laugh.

And laugh and laugh.

In fact Drew laughed until she was lying on the roof and holding her sides. Piper had no idea what in Tartarus was going on- where was the mask that Drew worked so hard to maintain?

After a while Drew finally gathered herself enough to stand up and pull out a hip flask, unscrew it and take a deep swig. That explained the absence of the mask.

"Do you want to know, why you piss me off so much, _hon_?" Piper would have answered her, but before she could Drew slipped off her heels, sat herself down on the cabin roof and patted the space next to her.

_What the hell_ thought Piper, as she settled down next to her sister and looked at her expectantly. This should be good.

"The reason, Miss Lane, that you pee me off so goddamn much is the fact you could have been wonder woman. "

Piper was...totally and utterly confused and it must have shown on her face, since Drew elaborated;

"It's like...you have all this power, and get given this massive chance to prove it to everyone- to kick some serious ass and give our cabin a little respect what do you do with it? You do all the fighting, all the ass kicking , but then let Grace be all He-man -super-team-leader-golden-boy while you fawn over him and treat him like HE was the real hero. For gods' sakes from what I gather he spent half of the quest unconscious.

Honestly what did he do, until that final battle? What?!... Ok, so he saved you from Midas and...? ONE MINI QUEST. ONE. Hun, every one of you had one of those. You did just as much as he did, if not then more (For gods' sakes you even had to bring him back to life). You guys were the freaking JUSTICE LEAGUE, yet you're happy to let the camp believe you were the individual superman series, and that you were the sappy love interest Lane and Valdez was...I don't know Jimmy Olsen. Why?"

Piper was slack jawed in shock, this was _not_ what she expected. She should have had so many questions, or comebacks or...or _something. _And yet the only thing she could think to say was,

"How do you know so much about super heroes?"

At this Drew Smirked, and started to pull up her top.

"Hades!" Hissed Piper, looking away as quick as she could. Drew snorted.

"Chill out McLean. Look."

Slowly Piper turned around to see...good gods...

"Is that tattoo superman...?"

"Making out with batman, yeah."

"But why would you..."

"I was drunk. It was comic-con. Don't judge me. You asked. Point is, you're not the only one who had a life before camp, McLean. We all have stories."

And with that Drew Pulled down her top, pulled out her flask and took another swig. After she swallowed it, with what seemed like a lot of difficulty, she offered the flask to Piper.

"I'm good thanks...Where the did you even get that? - I didn't think the Stolls dealt in booze."

Drew snorted, and Piper was scared for a second that Drew was about to start off laughing again, but instead she just gave despairing look:

"Puh-lease honey. No, I got this from Pollox. Me and him are bro-friends. Got a lot in common, trying to cope without our siblings. Whenever we miss them we get together and get drunk as skunks. It was Silena's birthday today, so bad memories are running amuck."

But that couldn't...she meant it made no sense. Not that it was Silena's birthday, she knew that was true. Clarisse had left a bunch of flowers on her old bunk that morning. (It had been empty for well over 8 months now, but no-one slept in it and no-one talked about it. Her pictures were still up, her bed was still made to her precise specifications, as if she had just gone out to see Charlie and would be back any minute. The bunk had become so taboo that Drew herself hadn't tried to get rid of it.)

No, it being her deceased sisters birthday wasn't the problem it was, well...

"Why would you care? You, you hated Silena, refused to wear black to her funeral, called her a traito-"

Piper was cut off by an icy glare from Drew.

"Don't you dare pretend to know a damn thing about me princess."

Once again Piper was left speechless, as Drew looked to the stars, staring at them as if they may hold an answer (although to what Piper may never have know). After a while of this awkward silence Drew gave an empty kind of sigh, pulled a crumpled note out of her pocket which she then placed in Piper's hand.

" I think I understand the end of this now. I was thinking about the wrong guy and that's how the cabin got messed up so bad...well that and the- ugh, not important, point is maybe it's just as well you took my position. I wasn't much good was I, hon? She meant Luke.

Remember, kid. You _are_ wonder woman. You're a hero in your own right, not just by ascociation. "

And with that Drew left.

After a couple of minutes of trying to work out what the Hades just happened, it finally occurred to Piper to read the note. It was written on pink writing paper, monogrammed in the left corner with an SB. _Silena Beuregard._

_Dear Drew,_

_First off, let me say I'm sorry. Gods Drew I'm so, so sorry. By the time you've read this I will be gone and you will know what I'm sorry for and I can't tell you enough just how sorry I really am. _

_Now that's over, I have one last favour to ask you, seeing as your the next in line for the cabin leader._

_I have made a horrible mistake and I deserve punishment, but I have hopefully avoided that, and am now with Charlie again. So here goes._

_Drew honey I did a terrible thing and you guys need to remember that. I betrayed you all and am most likely about to die leading my best friends siblings to their deaths trying to fix my mistakes. I am a traitor, Drew, And I have been for years. Don't remember me for anything but what I was._

_Oh, and for gods' sakes do _not _wear black to my funeral. It is not your colour sweety._

_Hold up fort, and remember what I said. Don't make my mistakes- any of them. Don't let a guy be your weakness._

_With Love (and I really mean it)_

_Lena._

_oOoOoOo_

After she got back from her so called death quest, and got back to her cabin Piper couldn't help but smile, even with all the sucky, sucky stuff that had happened. Silena's bed had been changed, and now it belonged to Lauren, who had been claimed on her 13th birthday two weeks prior. A Picture of Silena and Charlie was in the centre of the pin board, surrounded by pictures of the other couples in camp, which the cabin were no longer trying to break apart: Percy and Annabeth, Her and Jason, Chris and Clarisse...And a new addition Drew and Pollux.

Best of all resting on pipers pillow was a parcel with a note on top reading:

_Nice Job Diana. Guess you're the hero after all. Tell anyone about this and I will cut you. XOXO Drew._

Inside the parcel was a compilation-book-thing of Comic books - The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, issues 1-4.

_**Ok, so that was that then. I'll try to post the next chapter within the next few weeks. Next up is either Thalia and Jason or Leo and Nyssa (once Leo comes home). Or if anyone reading has any Ideas then please leave them in the comments or PM me.**_

_**Thanks for reading - Robbie**_


	2. Chapter 2- Leo and Nyssa

**Leo and Nyssa**

"Well done on not being dead."

Leo lifted his head from where it was buried into his bed in cabin 9 to see his sister, Nyssa standing above him

Being the excellent conversationalist that he replied with a noble,

"Hnnnnnnnnnnnngurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrh"

"Brought you some new ice-packs."

That got Leo's attention. He was currently drowning in ice packs, which had gone warm hours ago. He and Calypso had landed in camp at about 4 in the afternoon, where he was immediately embraced by Jason.

Then was head-butted by Jason.

Then when he finally woke up he was sitting in the infirmary with a knot the size of a golf ball in the centre of his for head. Ice pack number one. Calypso had gone to put his things back on his bunk and to find out where she could stay, so Piper was sitting beside him. As soon as he stood up she threw her arms around him and squeezed him so tight he thought his heart would come out through his mouth.

"We thought you were gone forever. You were gone for five months Leo", she murmured next to his ear. "_Five. Fucking. Months"_

That's when he felt Pipers knee make painful coalition with his crotch, hence ice pack number two.

He hunched over, hands over groin and making a weird squealing/groaning sound.

"_I was dead for like, three months. We came straight back. We were lost.", _He said in a weird squealing/groaning voice.

That's when he felt pipers foot collide with his gut. Hard. Hence ice pack number three.

"Don't you try to lie to me Valdez. I talked to Calypso while you were out, ( who is a lovely girl by the way I've invited her to girls night tonight). I know you've been in the mortal world for 8 weeks now. And you only spent six of those repairing Festus. For gods sakes you guys have had a Star Wars marathon and went to Disney Land before you even thought to come here! Would it have killed to send an IM."

Leo had just managed to stand up after being floored by the gut-kick when Piper punched him in the face. Ice pack 4.

"Welcome back ass-hole"

And with that she flounced out of the infirmary.

He got Will and Cecil to carry him back to his cabin where he was given an awkward welcome home from his siblings then dumped on his bed and kind of forgotten about. Calypso had come back for a little, mocked his agony then gone to girls night. Jason had popped back up for an hour or so: laughed at his pain, talked a little then gone to the campfire with the rest of the camp.

Leo had thought he was alone with its thoughts but clearly he wasn't, and so after changing his ice packs he turned to face his sister, who was now sitting on the edge of his bed. Nyssa wasn't the most open person in the world, and there was only four things that Leo knew for centain about her:

1\. She was British. (and even that was only because of her accent)

2\. Her Grandma was from the Caribbean.

3\. She hated fish.

4\. She could kick his ass. Like...Any time, any place. She could floor him in seconds.

Believe it or not he knew roughly this much about all of his siblings. It wasn't that he wasn't curious, because he was, but because cabin 9 had this unwritten rule of don't ask don't tell.

That's why when Jamie came home one day with a cut lip and a black eye no-one said a word. And when Jake and Nyssa disappeared that night with a wrench and a sledgehammer no one even mentioned it. Maybe that was just as well since when the next day Chiron come round asking why Johnny Petersons trunk had been stolen, smashed up and dumped into the lake by two people in black masks the entire cabin could claim innocence.

That's why he spent most of his life at camp in comfortable silence, or talking about work. But this wasn't like normal cabin 9 silence. This was, well...awkward.

"Why aren't you at the camp fire anyway."

"Didn't feel like it."

Leo shouldn't have expected a real answer. Not from the Queen of talk only when you feel like it and don't volunteer any information unless you want to. He wondered if there was anything he could build while he was sitting, but for the first time in his life nothing really sprang to mind. Maybe he could try to make another Valdezinator...?

"I was IMing someone. From the Roman Camp. We hit it off when they were over here and now we're kind of sort of doing a long-distance-ish thing. We visit each other through the mist portals when we can."

Leo cracked a grin. Teasing big sisters about their boyfriends was definitely an annoying little brother thing that Leo was happy to oblige to.

"A roman huh? What's this guy's name? Godly parent? Look like? Size? He a good kisser? Come _on_ Nys' I need details."

Nyssa looked at him a moment -as if he had said something wrong- but then she cracked a rare smile and turned to face Leo, swinging her legs onto the bed.

"_Her _name is Leila", well shit. Leo guessed that this was the kind of mistake you make when you never talk to your siblings. "And she's a daughter of Ceres, which is roman Demeter. She's very pretty, very tiny and an excellent kisser...how about your lass."

"What?"

At this Nyssa groaned and put on a dumb Valley-Girl accent. "What's your, like, girl-friend like, like."

"Oh, Calypso. She is awesome. Snarky, sarcastic and completely brilliant. Most of the time it isn't even like we're a couple. It's like we're friends who hate each other that on occasion make out."

Without replying Nyssa got up and walked over to her bunk to grabbed her coat.

"Must be one hell of a girl, to make you forget all about your mates like that."

Nooooo, not another angry, terrifying girl.

"Look, I didn't think that they would care that much. They all had their happy endings and soul mates and stuff, so why couldn't I have mine. I had to be dead to get back to Ogegiea. since no man can get there twice, so I needed to get a corpse within the atmosphere, then re-inject the life. If it didn't work (and it might not have.)and I had left a note or told them about my plan they would have been filled with false hope. Better for them to be sad and miss me for a little then get pleasant surprise than a life time of maybe's. I thought she, all of you, would be happy."

This was the point where Leo was expecting for Nyssa to agree with him, tell him he was right. Instead he got:

"Jesus valdez. How thick can you get."

"What?"

"You. Are. A. Moron." Nyssa spoke slowly and clearly, as if she was talking to an idiot. (Leo guessed she thought she was) "We aren't pissed because you went to get the girl. We're pissed because there are eight weeks where you could have told us you were alive. Eight less weeks of your friends hurting. They all love you, Leo. I love you. We thought you loved us. At least enough to put us over taking your new lass to Disney land."

By this time Nyssa was at the door.

"Wait!", At this she turned to face him,"...The tee-shirt didn't help. Did it."

"No Valdez it didn't."

She ruffled his hair as if he was five, and went out the door. Now it was just him, his thoughts, and a tee-shirt with #NotDeadSwag #TheSuperMcShizzleSurvieved #Flameonforever written over it in red sharpie. It had seemed funny when he had first written it.

Yeah. In retrospect that probably wasn't the best idea.

"Oh and Leo!", Nyssa had stuck her head back around the door. "Word of advice. Us other Hephaestus kids may seem a little...stoic, but that isn't always a bad thing. I mean I know it may not always be the best but...sometimes that's just what people need. Welcome back ass-hole."

And this time Leo really was alone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

That's why when the next day Leo found Piper sat alone on the floor of her cabin, crying like she was trying to start a flood and clutching a letter Leo try to crack a joke. He didn't say a word. He knelt on the floor in front of her and, in silence, eased the letter out of her hands.

_Hey Pipes._

_I'm sorry honey, But something's come up and I'm gonna have to cancel on-_

That was enough. Leo dropped the letter on the floor and wrapped his arms around Piper. That's when he understood cabin 9's philosophy of silence. Sometimes people didn't need some-one to cheer them up, or even to talk to.

Sometimes people just needed someone to be there.

_**Well that didn't take as long as I thought. I know I said I'd try some Thalia and Jason for anumij, But I had an idea for this one and it kind of wrote it's self. Thanks for everyone who wrote comments and who followed and favorited. I really appreciate it- If we could get a few more of any of those then that would be fantastic!**_

_**Thanks for reading-Robbie**_


	3. Chapter 3- Thalia's Brothers

**Ok, here is my Thalia and Jason chapter for **Toujours L'Espoir-**this one is a little Different, sorry. Its Thalia's inner monologue as oppose to a conversation or interaction like my other chapters, and its set between Percy going missing and the next time we see her in the Lost Hero. Gods I suck at authors notes.**

**Thalia's Brothers**

Thalia had a bad track record with brothers. They were the ones that she loved the most and those that she always lost.

Jason was the first to go. She should never have left him alone that day. Not with her mother. Not with anyone.

Two minutes. That was all she was gone for. Two minutes to get the bag from the car and run back. Two minutes was all it took. She knew that she shouldn't have trusted her mom. Since when did Beryl Grace take her kids out on outings; hell half the time she didn't even remember that she had kids, so why was she so insistent that they all took one today? She should have known. Especially when she gave Thalia the slip.

When she got back Jason was gone. All that was left was Beryl, sat on a step and bawling her eyes out, going on and on about how _she_ did this, this was all _her_ fault, and if _he_ hadn't come back, and _he_ wasn't such a massive λίπος εξαπάτηση υποδοχή κώλο μπάσταρδος καθίκι Ολυμπίου. Where her mother learnt Greek from she had no idea. Thalia didn't even have to ask who he and she were at this point. She just didn't get why neither of them had smited her mom yet.

That night she left. After, of course, the most one sided screaming match of all time, which ended with Thalia walking out the door in a stony silence and Beryl having a breakdown on the front lawn. The last thing she ever heard from her mother was her screaming and sobbing on the front doorstep, saying how Thalia couldn't leave, she couldn't leave her alone.

Yeah? Well just watch her.

There was nothing left for her in LA anymore.

She didn't think that anything could hurt as much as losing Jason but the universe, as it seemed, Just loved proving her wrong.

After all. Jason may have left her alone with her crazy alcoholic mom, but at least he never let bitterness consume him and turned to hosting the evil titan lord.

Brother number two. Luke Castellan. Although in the end he was a lot more than a brother.

Personally she blamed the demonic-Pepsi-spewing goat. Dumb Amaltheia. Leading her into brilliant but sucky things.

And believe her Luke was brilliant. He was funny, could find his way out of anything, and wouldn't judge her for her past (Cos what's the difference between a crazy wannabe oracle and a crazy alcoholic actress anyway?). Her best friend, her partner in crime. Full of promises that _Hacylon was wrong, he would never betray her_. That _the gods couldn't control them, they would fight the prophecy together_. In the end it wasn't Thalia who had needed to worry about the prophecy. With her balls, his wits and both of their determination they were unstoppable.

For a while they were a family, and life was (bar the occasional raging dragon) good. They travelled, built safe-houses, killed scary things with a golf club. Then they found Annabeth and there family got a little bigger. Yeah it was still shitty and broken, but then again so were its members. In that sense it was perfect. Then came the goat boy…

Turns out that her scent was getting too strong now, and so they got Grover to take them to camp. (Towards the end she and Luke would joke that a bus pass would have been a lot more efficient. Gods were dumb.) But still their family got a little bit bigger and they continued on their merry way.

It was nothing like her first family, but it was good in its own way.

And then it all caught up with them.

It was the endgame.

And yet she wasn't afraid. She kissed him once- hot and dusty and sweet and turned to face her enemies. She had no regrets. Not about things she could she could have helped anyway. She wished she had a chance to see Jason again. Hell, she wished she was dying in bed at the age of seventy two instead of alone on a hill at age 12. Never the less, though Thalia hadn't gotten very much time, she liked what she had done with it.

Then everything slowed down.

She wasn't dead- not by a long shot- instead it was like when you're only barely awake, or you're just falling asleep. She could feel the time moving around her, but it was like the time moved on without her, like a fly trapped in amber. Sometimes she could hear the odd word being said around her…

_…Sorry…_

_…why…_

_…love…_

_…fix this I swear…_

_…love him or hate him, I can't figure out which yet…_

_…betrayed us…_

_…I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. This will help, I promise…_

Then the pain had started. A deep aching pain which, for the first time in six years, brought Thalia in to full consciences. And she was dying.

But then came the warmth and the light and the feeling of being free. And vulnerable. And empty. Then they told her what was happened, while she was gone. How her family's baby wasn't a baby anymore and how Luke… when they told her about Luke what was left of her heart was smashed again.

And again when she pushed him off the cliff.

And again when he took the knife.

Luke wasn't really like a brother, looking back on it. He was her best friend, and towards the end her worst enemy (although she never stopped loving him, never stopped hoping for a different way) . But still, brother was easier to explain, easier to describe and so, if anyone asked, her brother he was.

When she joined the hunt she thought that no brother could ever break her heart again. And now, six months after the last time it had happened, here she was again.

Percy, on the other hand, was undoubtedly a brother. He was stupid and infuriating and oblivious and she was sure Annabeth could do better. But at the same time he was loyal and kind and sincere and perfect for Annabeth.

And gone.

Like all of her other Brothers Percy had disappeared just as her life was starting to get ok again. He had been gone for five days know. Annabeth was so worried that she's hardly slept. Two days ago she went to the Grand Canyon to follow a lead and she hadn't heard from her since. Thalia and her huntresses were now roaming around America looking for Lyacone and his wolves. She didn't know how much longer she could keep up the act for. Keep pretending she was strong, satisfied and that she knew it was going to be ok. She didn't know how long it would be before she crumbled. Broke down and could no-longer go on. And she really didn't know how she could keep on reassuring Annabeth that Percy would come back.

Because when Thalia's brothers disappeared, they never came back.

**Ok, thats that then. I hope you liked it! Please follow, favourite and most of all review ****because that may be the closest I get to human interaction this week. **** Once again if anyone has any ideas or suggestions leave those in the comments or PM me.**

**Thanks for reading - Robbie**


	4. Chapter 4- Frank and Clarisse

**Frank and Clarisse**

Getting lost on his way to the bathroom at 1 in the morning, and having a small breakdown was maybe not the best way Frank could have met his sister. He was going to just use the one near the cabins, but then he saw two Greek campers disappear inside and not come out again, before remembering Percy's oddly cryptic warning not to use those after 11 o'clock. Frank had thought it would be fine since the harpies weren't patrolling while the romans were visiting…Percy wasn't warning him about the harpies. He thought he had better try the ones in the big house.

So he was walking through the cabin-omega-thing when frank tripped over something and fell flat on his face. He started off as annoyed, but then he turned around and saw what it was. Although after the battle most of the mess had been cleared up there were still a couple of things that had been missed: discarded arrow heads, loose dragon scales, stuff like that. Not this time it wasn't.

It was a ruby, about the size and shape of his fist. One of Festus' eyes, that three days ago had been bright and glowing with-thanks to Leo's mechanics and Piper's charm speak- life (or the next closest thing to it). And now it was gone. Now it was dim, and dull and the fire inside it was dead. As was the one who had put it there in the first place. _Leo…_

That sharp reminder made everything come back in to focus. For days now frank had been strong- he had to be.

Strong for Hazel, who was being crushed by the guilt.

Strong for the Romans, most of whom still thought of him as a joke.

Strong for Percy and Annabeth and for Reyna and for Nico, who had all been strong for far too long and through way too much and deserved someone else to do it for a change.

Strong for Piper, who was coping, and for Jason who was trying to (but it seemed like Rome's Golden boy was sick of being the strong one.)

That only left Frank. To pretend to keep it together.

For them Frank had done it but they weren't there anymore. And so, by the shelter of the nearest cabin, Frank finally started to cry; not just the silent, dignified tears he cried when they burnt the pyre either but gross sobbing that shook his entire body. Frank sat and cried for gods knew how long, until he felt a presence behind him.

"Hey."

Frank whipped round, bow drawn to see the head of the Ares cabin...Claire?...Clarissa?...Clarisse. Yeah that was it. His sister. That was weird. Clarisse, who was holding up her hands in a sign of mock surrender, and had an amused expression on her face, as if there were something about Frank that she was just curious enough about that she hadn't stabbed him yet.

"I see my reputation precedes me."

He lowered his bow tentatively, still not forgetting Percy's warnings about the Ares Cabin's more...impulsive natures.

"Oh, um, Hi."

"Mind if I stay a while?" Clarisse didn't wait for an answer, and lent against the wall where Frank had been bawling his eyes out just moments before. Frank, having no idea what to do in such a situation lent next to her. They stood in silence for a while. (Because apart from the standard Please don't kill me scary girl what else can you say?) Clarisse sat and sharpened her spear while Frank, for want of anything better to do sat and looked her...ok that sounded creepy, but, like, actually at her, and not the rippling muscles and sneer that tended to take the attention away from her actual features.

You would never call Clarisse pretty, but you couldn't call her ugly, at least without the sneer she wasn't. Her features, though they weren't smooth or small, were symmetrical and her face just had a sort of honesty to it, like she would never try to hide what she felt. But what got Frank most was the look in her eyes. The look of having seen too much, fought through too much. A look of someone who was tired of being someone else's pawn. Of doing someone else's dirty work. Of being used. A look that was just tired.

The very same look that had been haunting Frank since the damn war ended.

"It wasn't your fault."

Frank's head snapped up, to meet Clarisse's eyes. She looked at him for what must have only a few seconds but felt like forever. As Frank broke the eye contact he wondered why she worked so hard to keep up her scary facade when just her plain gaze was one of the most intimidating things he had ever seen. Then again he supposed that it was probably more the words that it was being teamed with. He wondered how she knew what was thinking, but then he realized that transparency must have run in the family.

"I don't know what you me-"

"Bull. You blame yourself for what happened and the guilt is eating you alive. But you can't. You shouldn't"

At this point Frank was past being afraid, and past being polite (which, for him, was a first.) He could take this speech from Hazel who was feeling the same guilt and from the rest of the seven but from Clarisse? The sister who he had only known for two minutes? Who had never even known Leo?

"And how would you know about that then?" he snapped, giving her his best glare (which he hoped looked a less ridiculous after Extreme Makeover Mars edition.)

Regardless of what it looked like he was certain that it had nothing on the one Clarisse returned.

"Do not forget _Praetor Zhang-," _her voice was cool and for the first time showed all the bitterness she had been hoarding for all of these years,"- that I have known about this side of you and me for much longer, and been through ten times as many wars, and seen 10 times as much death, And as much BULL SHIT AS YOUR SHELTERED ASS COULD EVER-"

And then just as suddenly as she started she stopped, her eyes glassed over and for a moment she was somewhere else entirely.

"Selina."

"…What…?"

"My Leo. Her Name was Selina."

"Oh" Frank blinked a couple of times trying to process that information. In the same way that you didn't think of Clarisse being sort of nice looking you didn't tend to think of her as having…you know…a soul.

"What was he like? Actually. None of that eulogy, loving memory shit."

Clarisse wasn't looking at him, she was staring off into the distance still, and Frank didn't know how much she was actually listening to him, but Frank thought he owed it to her to be honest.

"Leo Valdez was brave, I mean he must have been to do what he did, he sacrificed his life to save us all…in what was quite probably the douchest way possible. I mean how could he disappear like that? Lie to us, make us think he was gone and now have us live with the guilt if he is and the eternal hope if he isn't? Especially Hazel, who probably feels it the most even though she deserves and he teased me all the time, and I know he was only kidding and I shouldn't have taken it so seriously because he was probably only kidding and all that but it didn't mean I didn't want to punch him. And god was he annoying. He flirted with literally every girl we met along the way, and made stupid jokes about everything and was the actual worst, best person I'd ever met. And I'd do anything to see him again, just to know where he was. And smack him upside the head."

Clarisse nodded, satisfied, as if that answer was one of the smarter things that Frank could have said then.

"That's the best way you can remember him. Remember anyone. For what they were, not who you wanted them to be. Who he was as a person not just what he did as a hero."

"What…well what was your friend like?"

Clarisse smiled kind of sadly then. "Selina? She was a traitor, but she died a hero. Everyone remembers that. But she was kind. Sweet. Cared a lot about how she looked but it didn't stop her from helping when she needed to. And she loved everyone, everything around her so much. Even me which I've been told isn't too easy. She always saw people for what they were, even if she learnt that the hard way. She looked at me and to her I wasn't just a bully or a warrior or whatever, I was a girl too. With feelings and shit. And I will always be grateful for that... It was because she loved so much she betrayed us and because of that she saved us, I always thought anyways. But at the end of the day she for all she was, for all I tell everyone she was a hero, she was just a girl. She did a lot of things, good ones, bad ones, because she was a person and people fuck up sometimes. That's how life is.

So if I remember her I'll remember her how she'd have wanted to be remembered – a whole person and not just the parts that are the easiest to digest. And one day I sure as hell hope that happens to me. I mean not like being the drackon slayer isn't sweet it's just nice to think that there's more to me than one victory. Than my phsycho dad. And maybe there isn't but still. I love this place but we're all tarnished by the same brush just because of whose spawn you are. I wonder sometimes what I would have turned out if I was the Aphrodite kid, if I had been given the mirror and Selina the spear. Would I still have been so violent and bad with people? Would she have been as nice or a better fighter or some shit? We can't ever know now but…I want to see if I can change that. Let the kids that come in decide who they are, not their parents. And maybe it'll make no difference to who they are but I at least I want them to have a choice. You stayed who you were Zhang. Even knowing Dad. You might be beefy as hell and you might lead a camp but I've seen you with your girlfriend, and with all the others. Your kind Zhang. Don't let that change. Promise me."

"I ,uh, I promise…" She just kind of nodded and pushed herself up, Picked up her spear and started to walk away, "And Clarisse?"

She turned back, a vulnerable look on her face. She'd just bared her soul to him, this roman boy she barely knew. To her brother. Frank suddenly felt unworthy. So few people had seen this side of her. And the few who had had only seen snippets. Who else seen so much of the girl who was desperate to be remembered. Her boyfriend (frank thought he remembered something about a boyfriend), the dead girl Selina and now him.

"Thankyou. Really, I'm honoured to-"

"Frank, Shut up."

"Right, Ok, Uh, but thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"It's just-"

"No seriously. Tell anyone else about this and I will actually murder you."

oOoOoOoOoOo

It was almost a year until Frank had another chance to go back to Camp Half blood. The rest of the Roman Party that was there was sat at the head table with Chiron and Dionysus, with Percy and Jason and the rest of the remaining seven. Leo still hadn't come back but the pain was starting to numb a little. Frank was about to sit down and join them when he heard a shout from across the pavilion.

"YO PREATOR ZHANG!"

He turned to see the Ares cabin at their table, a space on a bench cleared for him, Right next to Clarisse, "Not too good to sit with your family are you Frankie boy?"

"Never."

It was a tight fit on the table, there was a scramble to move the plates and make room and as they did, laughing and elbowing all the while Clarisse did the quick fire round of their names.

"-Myah, Eddie, Lee, Davey, Saleem and…Fuck where's Chas?"

"Stood literally behind you."

Frank and Clarisse both turned their heads to see a girl of about 14, tall he guessed but skinny as a sapling, a long thin face splattered with freckles and a long thin ginger braid, her camp clothes about three sizes too big and grinning at…Clarisse? And Clarisse was grinning right back.

"Don't you get smart with me. Shift up and let her sit her ass down Frank. Miss Chasity here is the newest member of the Ares gang. Wants to be a botanist and _cannot for the life in her show up for dinner on time_. Honestly kid you're letting the side down. Chasie, he's the one I told you about."

The girl grinned again as she slid in between the two of them.

"You're the kind one?"

Frank broke into a smile of his own. Remembering the conversation he'd had with his sister almost a year before.

"You make good on your promises don't you LaRue?"

She shrugged, ruffling Chasity's hair as the younger girl playfully swatted her hand away.

"Of course I do. And yes Chas he is. Now both of you shut your friggin mouths and eat your damn brisket. Zhang your with us for capture the flag this time, since I found out from Jackson you can turn into a freaking dragon. You up for it?"

"You're on."

_**Well...that took it's time didn't it. Only a year later. But still, i've wanted to write to write that exchange for a while and I enjoyed writing that. I hope you enjoyed reading it :-) If anyone has any ideas or suggestions then feel free to PM me.**_

_**Thanks for reading- Robbie**_


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